Holiday festival time in Helper

With Halloween over the official winter holiday season has begun. From now through Christmas, dozens of events, fund raisers and celebrations will be taking place.

The center of all these events is the celebration Helper (known officially by governors proclamation as Christmas Town) puts on each year.

Helper has been known as Christmas Town for two decades, since the Light Parade in the town began. While many towns in Utah have adopted the light parade theme at Christmastime in recent years, Helper was the first in the state to do it. And it is also the most charming.

First of all, few towns can duplicate the wonderful historic downtown that Helper has. The buildings when lit up with all the lights that are placed, looks like the magical Christmastown of the early to mid-twentieth century.

Secondly, the winter breezes that blow from Price Canyon through the town beginning in early November give it the feel of the holiday season.

And thirdly, the dedication of the people of Helper to put on a Christmas show like no other is unsurpassed in rural Utah.

The seasons celebrations begin on Nov. 6, 7 and 8 when the St. Anthony Carnival takes place in the Helper Civic Auditorium. Tonight it begins with a dinner that runs from 4 to 7 p.m. Then each night of the carnival there is a silent auction, with games, bingo and fun. Tickets are available at the door.

Then on Nov. 21-22 the Christmas Arts and Crafts Fair takes place in the Helper Civic Auditorium. On Friday the fair will run from 4-8 p.m. while on Saturday it goes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

During those same days a fund raiser, called Tree Magic, for the Rio Theater in downtown Helper will be held. This consists of a silent auction of fully decorated Christmas trees. This event will take place between 5 and 8 p.m. on Friday and noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Decorating of the trees will take place on the days before, Nov. 18 and 19 from 5 to 8 p.m. each evening.

Then on Nov. 28 the full celebration begins as the lights decorating Main Street come on at 6 p.m. A holiday walk will start at the Rio Theater and end at the Main Street park. After the lights on, Santa will be at the Helper Civic Auditorium.

On Dec. 2 and 3 the Expressions Christmas Ballet will take place at the Rio Theater. It will be presented at 7 p.m. each evening.

On Dec. 6, a Saturday, kids can have breakfast with Santa at the Helper Civic Auditorium. That event will start at 9 a.m. and end at 11 a.m.

On that same day as well as on the evening of Dec. 5, a chili dinner will also be held in the auditorium from 4 to 7 p.m. On both those evenings there will also be a Christmas variety show at the Rio Theater at 5:30 p.m.

Then on both those same evenings, just before the light parade begins at 7 p.m. there will be an art gallery stroll that will take place on Main Street.

Finally, will come the holiday fireworks which will light up the sky just after the light parade on Dec. 6.